


The Brothers

by Cherrakinn



Series: Cherry's Originals [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Original Species, Troc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-16 08:49:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21033548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrakinn/pseuds/Cherrakinn
Summary: A collection of short writing and drabbles about two brothers





	1. The Beaten Path

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was "a raven" and I ended up doing a whole different thing than I had planned

“Sure is a waste to go to battle on a day like this, isn’t it?”

Looking back down from his perch on a tree branch, Onyx raised an eyebrow at the man on the ground. When the only response he got was a smile and a little finger wave, he rolled his eyes and began his climb back to the ground.  
  
“It’s never a waste to step onto a battlefield for something you believe in. Didn’t we have this conversation the other day?” He turned, swiping his hands over his pants as he made his way over.  
  
“Did we? I thought we were discussing the disadvantage of fighting when it’s sunny out. I distinctly remember asking you if the sunlight in your eyes counted as a good reason to try and delay a fight.” The man smiled as he started to walk the path again, Onyx following only a step behind. “Why were you in the tree?”  
  
“To get away from you, didn’t you notice?” Onyx grinned sharply, stepping up to elbow the other in the side. “Didn’t you know? You’re a certified annoyance, Keeper.”  
  
“Ouch. My poor heart. My soul. My very being. How will I ever recover from such words, brother?” He sighed dramatically, clutching his hands to his chest with a pout. “And here I thought you loved me.”  
  
“Only on odd numbered days.” Onyx replied with a straight face. “And occasionally on holidays.” He couldn’t stop the twitch of a smile this time, especially as Keeper gasped in exaggeration.  
  
“Alas! My life has been but a lie!”  
  
“Only half.” He reminded the other.  
  
“Alas! All the even numbered days have been but a lie!”  
  
“You’re a moron.” Onyx chuckled, nudging at Keeper once more before halting, looking up.  
  
Keeper stopped in turn, staring at Onyx for a moment before turning his gaze to the sky as well. The dark wings of ravens circled above the two of them, and after a moment, they turned their gazes back to the road.  
  
“You know we’re out here to fight. If you don’t want to, why are you coming along?” Onyx didn’t look at his brother now, his gaze held steadfast on the path.  
  
“Who else is going to keep you out of trouble along the way? Or make you stop sitting in trees.” He smiled a bit sadly, crossing his arms, looking to Onyx before looking to the ground. “We’ve stuck together this long, I wasn’t going to abandon you to go do your duties alone.”   
  
As the sunlight began to fade into night time, the two fell into silence, and continued to walk on towards the far away lights of a village.


	2. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers make a stop to visit old allies and friends.

“Seroth’ta! Altine, and greetings from the far lands!”  
  
The words brought the Troc’s head around, and a curving smile broke across his face as he raised a hand to return the traditional gesture of greeting to the speaker. “Altine, and hail, bright Sunstone.” With the end of the greeting, he brought down his hand, closing it into a fist before tapping it to each of his horns and then once to his heart. “It has quite been a time since you last came. Where is your brother?”  
  
The man smiled, then turned to nod towards the other side of the clearing. “He’s over there, speaking with some of the weapon makers.” He turned back to Seroth’ta, crossing his arms. “We were coming through the area, thought we’d drop in and see how things have changed.”  
  
Seroth’ta laughed, loud and boisterous, before swinging an arm out in a gesture to the rest of the village. “Changed indeed! Things have much grown and continue to. We do well in this place, just as the two of you so said.”  
  
“I’m glad to hear it. Your people helped us a lot when we first met you, it was the least we could do to repay the favor.” The man bowed his head, a fist to his heart.  
  
“There is no formality to our talks. You are equal, or greater, of rank, bright Sunstone. Do not need to bow to me.” The Troc dropped to one knee, bringing him closer to the other’s level as he looked him over. “You and your brother, have you eaten? You are slight. Come for food tonight, there is plenty to share.”  
  
“You say that like you’re offering, instead of demanding.” The words were light, laced with a joke, and the Troc laughed as he stood back up, nodding.  
  
“The tribe does demand! A dishonor it would be, to have you leave before joining a night’s meal!”  
  
“Then I suppose you leave us no choice, Seroth’ta. It would be our own honor to be allowed to join you. I shall go inform my brother.” He set an open hand to his heart, bowed, then turned and jogged off before anything else could be said.  
  
As Seroth’ta watched him leave, he heard the approaching steps, recognized the rattle of bones in the necklace of he whom approached. He turned, crossing his arms. “Hail, peacemaker of Hontamari. Is assistance needed?”  
  
The smaller Troc, covered in jewelry of bones and skins, touched a hand to his mouth, then to his heart with a deep bow. “Altine, Seroth’ta, and peace. I come to ask why you allow visitors of such slight to roam freely among your people. Are they not from elsewhere?”  
  
“Visitors are old friends, always welcome to nightly meals. They are as much a people of this tribe as I.”  
  
“Of course, Seroth’ta. Simple curiosity. Excuse me, for I shall go attend to my matters.” With another deep bow, and an open hand to his heart and then to the ground, the peacemaker turned and left.  
  
Seroth’ta, watching the other’s stride, bared his teeth in annoyance. A peacemaker indeed, and one he would be watching. The brothers would face no animosity in his land if he had say to it. Without another word, he turned and strode off to find some of the others. They would be happy to know that such old allies would be joining them tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slowly worldbuilds
> 
> Anyway!! Hope you enjoy this.  
The prompt I used was 'Heart' and I referenced a lot of hand over heart respect gestures in the Troc culture  
Don't expect to learn too terribly much of the details in these boys for a while, this will be a long running project
> 
> To help me out I've got a 100 one-word prompts list I'll be crossing off as I do these


	3. Counting Stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers do some illegal shit.

The steady sound of water dripping echoed throughout the hallway, and into the cells carved into the sides of it. The sound of slowly paced footsteps joined it as the occupant of one such cell meandered back and forth across the small space. Every now and again there was the odd sound of tapping against the bars as they trailed their fingers along it. That sound was harder to describe, as if it was caught in-between two kinds of noises.  
  
With a loud, bored sigh, the man within dropped back onto the thin pile of cloth that counted as a bed, stretching his legs out in front of him with a groan. As he dragged his gaze up to the ceiling, he shifted around to make himself a bit less uncomfortable. And then he began to count the stones that made up the walls and ceiling, counting one stone for each second. He even managed to get all the way to 48 before the thumping sound of boots hitting stone echoed, and he smiled, hopping back to his feet to go and lean on the bars.  
  
The approaching steps belonged to another man, revealed by the dim light of a torch only moments later and he would always know that face, no matter where it was. As they stepped up, distastefully poking at the bars with the toe of their boot, he smiled. “It’s about time you got here, Onyx. You must be getting rusty in _ye old age_.” He snickered, crossing his arms.  
  
Onyx ignored him, instead scrunching his nose at the cell before backing up a few steps. “This is what they do now? Really? It used to be so much cooler.” After a moment he took a step forward, then with a rush, slammed his shoulder into the door. The loud crack that followed was tremendous, and the door swung open on a broken hinge, and a shattered lock.  
  
“Are you informing me that you prefer the old jail? And here I thought you hated that place. What a change for you, brother.” He didn’t hesitate to step through the door, grinning. “At least it’s easier to break now. You didn’t even have to break any rock this time.”  
  
“You know, if that’s how you’re going to say thank you, maybe I’ll let them keep you a little longer next time. Now let’s go before anyone else shows up, Keeper.” Without another word, Onyx headed down the hall and up the stairs.  
  
“Sir, yes, sir.” Keeper chuckled, following the other. At the top of the stairs he took a moment to look around before giving a low whistle, eyeing the destruction. The door to the building was in pieces, and the guards that had locked him up in the first place were all on the floor. He paused long enough to lean down and check one of their pulses, nodding when he confirmed they were simply unconscious.  
  
“What, you don’t trust me now? They’re fine. Bruised, at most, the cowards. They saw the door break and they practically wet themselves.” Onyx’s smile was sharp and hungry, his eyes glinting. “They might need to take a few days to replace all the broken weapons in the other room, too.”  
  
“That’s just mean.” Keeper clicked his tongue, but chuckled, delicately stepping over the bodies as he reached the table, picking up the shimmering headpiece and his dagger, strapping the dagger back to his belt, and fitting the headpiece to his forehead with a sigh. “Now let’s head out. We already lost several hours for this. We’re going to be late.”  
  
They both glanced to each other, smiled once, then headed out the doorway, leaving behind the guards and their destroyed possessions as they headed for the town. They pulled up their hoods and headed for the gate. They had a friend to meet, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt was "Jail"
> 
> Why was Keeper in jail? Who knows.  
But Onyx sure is getting tired of bailing him out of trouble


End file.
